ASIAN VALUES IN OUR SOCIETY

2.48 pm

Mr Tang Guan Seng (Khe Bong): ( In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to make a speech on the motion for the adjournment. It is about Asian values in our society. Regrettably, the Member for Potong Pasir is not present now. On the llth July, in a speech to NUS students the Member for Potong Pasir said that we must definitely not keep the Asian feudalistic type of society as it would hold us back. Upon hearing that, one might think that there is one more champion in the anti-feudalism force and would applaud for it. This is because feudalism used to bring too much disaster in its trail, especially terminal feudalism in its dying throes, as it represents conservatism, retrogression and darkness.

Perhaps the Member for Potong Pasir had exactly realized this psychology of the people to have dared to hoodwink the people by equating "Asian feudalistic type of society" with "Asian values" so as to confuse their thinking and then to advocate "discarding Asian values".

According to his arguments, the Government is promoting Asian cultures and values for the sake of preserving its dictatorial role, and destroying the Opposition Party. This kind of argument is no different from his topsy-turvy type of logic about "Asian values" equalling "Asian feudalistic society". Does it mean that facts that are discernible by a million of our electorate could not be perceived by the Member for Potong Pasir?

In our 26 years of nationhood, the political institution that we have been practising is parliamentary democracy. After every four or five years, the Government will have to face the electorate who have the absolute right to choose the government they like. The two Opposition Members for Potong Pasir and Anson have come into being precisely under this parliamentary polity. There is no gain-saying that parliamentary polity has been our political institution in practice. If the Member for Potong Pasir would choose to deny this fact, he would, in fact, be denying his own qualification as an MP,

He has lumped "feudalism" and "dictatorship" together with Asian values, probably for two reasons. One reason is that he is naive and ignorant about Asian values and the other is that he has an ulterior motive in trying to scoop in some political capital.

There are at least two examples to show his ignorance of Asian values. Addressing some NUS students, he mentioned about the violent revolutions in Russia and China, and said that the way to prevent the overthrow of a government by force is not to advocate Asian values. I believe all those who have some knowledge of modern history would know that the revolutions in Russia and China were Communist-led and were carried out according to the Marxist,Leninist ideology of capturing political power by force of arms. This ideology originated from the West and has nothing whatsoever to do with Asian values at all.

The other example is this. In May this year, the Member for Potong Pasir in a speech used the story in a kungfu film where a selfish master would not teach his students all his kungfu movements to be-little Asian cultures and values. People have already made a laughing stock out of this shallow talk.Is this ignorant and flashy attitude not running against the "humble and non-arrogant" image that he has portrayed?

Were it merely due to naivety and ignorance, the aberration might be corrected through learning. What is most abhorrent is ignorance topped up with ulterior motive which must need thorough uncovering and disclosure. Because if the erroneous concept were held by an ordinary person the harmful effect might not be too great. However, as it comes from a Member of Parliament, especially an Opposition leader who harangues about "alternative government", it becomes a serious matter. His thinking, his aberration and his ignorance, should they be put into effect one day, all our people will be affected adversely,

Geographically, Singapore is situated in Asia. Our people are made up of Asian immigrants. Our forefathers came from China, India and the Malay archipelago with long cultural traditions. We treasure our cultural heritage. We have our unique customs and practices and we have our own precepts of socialization and human relationship. The Asian values have enabled us to strike roots in Asian soil. Once the roots are extracted, we will be dispersed, floating around the four seas and become lost and confused.

Even the colonialists in colonial times dared not openly call out slogans for root destruction. We want to ask: on whose behalf is the Member for Potong Pasir making such calls? And why is he so brazenly audacious? Who has given him the right to demand that we sever our roots and forget our origin?

Since the Member for Potong Pasir is somewhat befuddled with what Asian values are, let me touch upon it a little. The Asian value concept that we want to preserve and cultivate has nothing to do with any political institution. The concept is one of ethics; it is a social norm, the principle of human relationship and the foundation of family relationship. In one phrase, it pertains to the attitude of human behaviour.

In our society, there is the propriety of order among members of the same family with mutual affection. It is the natural duty of the parents to bring up the children. Similarly, it is also the bounden duty of the children to look after their aged parents. Marriage is a life-long major event, not child's play. To give reins to unbridled carnal desires and free unethical sexual relationships is immoral. This sense of duty to one's family is in turn reflected in one's loyalty to the society and the nation. This is a body of time-honoured and tested valued precepts.

In the course of social development, certain retrogressive elements in Asian values, such as blind loyalty and blind filial piety and discrimination of the sexes favouring the male, have long since been discarded into the garbage dump of history. Furthermore, in preserving Asian values, we have been critical and selective in our judgment, adopting only the fine essence that is suitable to our national conditions and conducive to our national progress.

Examples of Asian values that not only do not hinder but help in social and national development are not hard to find. The economic achievements of Japan are admired even by developed Euro-American countries alike. Similar examples of economic achievements can also be found in South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore which are acclaimed as the "four little dragons" of Asia.

On the other hand, we are clear headed. We do not blindly condemn things of the West in toto, as it has just been mentioned that our polity is that of parliamentary democracy, Besides, we are also vigorously imbibing advanced Western science and technology, including management methods. Also, the untiring spirit of quest and advancement of the West too merits our emulation.

However, in respect of the attitude of human behaviour, there are fundamental differences between the Asians and the Western people. For instance, among the Western practices that we cannot accept are: the habit of children calling parents directly by their names; the pitiful settlement of aged parents in the Home for the Aged, etc.

There is another practical significance for advocating Asian values at this time. We are witnessing a current of ill-wind of faddish trends pervading in the Western countries where the youth like to put on outlandish dresses and romp and dance in the streets. They even take to drugs and unbridled carnal excesses. In their minds, there is only individual freedom but not social or national interest. Even the Western countries are worried about this queer and decadent trend.

Unfortunately, in this world of mutual dependence and an age of fast developing communication and transportation, these social ills of the West have spread speedily to Asia. Towards the end of last month, the Asia Magazine weekly published some articles centering on the discussion of this problem. The articles pointed out that in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Asean countries, including Singapore, these roaming youths can be found in the shopping centres and the fast food centres. Thus, it can be seen that the appearance here in Singapore of the "MacDonald kids", "Centrepoint kids" and "punks" is not a problem that only troubles us. But there are special characteristics in our situation. Ours is an open society. The majority of our youths are English educated. After the implementation of a unified stream of education system in 1987, English will become the first language and it can be foreseen that the influence of Western decadent fads will be greatly enhanced.

Thus, it can be seen that the promotion of Asian values is a very timely move, as it is a correct measure to guide our younger generation towards the right path and is in keeping with the long term interest of our country.

The proposition of "Discarding Asian Values" by the Member for Potong Pasir other than meeting the liking of the lost youths and pleasing them, what other useful purpose can it achieve? To put forward this kind of proposition just to win over the support of a handful of people, it is really too selfish and too shallow in thinking.

Here, I would like to invite the Government leadership to express the stand of the Government on the question of Asian values so that our people-will see clearly the direction of our nation building.

Encik Yatiman Yusof (Kampong Kembangan): ( In Malay): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to add to the speech made by the Member for Khe Bong on the subject of values that should be made principles which the people should uphold and practise, a topic which has been the subject of discussion inside and outside Parliament.

History has confronted us with the reality of the existence of a multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-cultural Singapore because of Singapore's ethnic composition. Singapore has succeeded in achieving its present level of progress through the synthesis of the civilizations found in the Asian region. And what is more, Singapore is enjoying the fruits of its labour and progress as a result of the flux of western civilization. So it is imperative that we preserve this synthesis. From Eastern civilization which encompasses the civilizations of China, India and the Malay Archipelago, and our presence and the arrival of our ancestors in Singapore has taught us the ways of life which are founded on these diverse values. Certainly, these values, be they from the East or West, comprise positive and negative elements. Nevertheless, such values, like the value that has become the tenet stressing the importance of family-living, respect for the elders, harmonious community way of living, where public interests supersede self-interests, hard work, and the quest for knowledge to the niche of the grave constitute some of the values that we inherit from these two cultural sources.

These values did not originate from just one civilization, but from civilizations which had been intertwined resultant from the amalgam of history among the races in Asia, and Singapore is the seedbed where such values blossom and flourish. Therefore, it is to our advantage if we could synthesize the values from West and East such as the democratic parliamentary system, the urge to engage in intense thinking, to be open-minded and rational in the face of challenges in order that we can rise to even greater heights of achievements.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, history has ordained that we possess a diversified social and economic infrastructure. A combination of political and economic social infrastructure founded on the free enterprise system has brought Singapore to a high level of advancement.

The Second Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Ong Teng Cheong): ( In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the question of Asian values in our society that we are discussing about should actually be clarified by the Member for Potong Pasir. What a pity that he is not in the House. Now I would just like to state the Government's stand on this question.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, those who are familiar with our history and understand our social and ethnic composition know that Singapore is a country strongly and deeply rooted in the Asian soil.

We were an immigrant society to begin with. Our ancestors came from India, China and the Malay Archipelago which have long-standing cultural traditions behind them. Our ancestors have not only left for us a rich cultural heritage but have also passed on to us many precious, correct and useful values. These precious values have enabled us to transform a small barren island into a prosperous country.

This being the case, what reasons have we to discard our own precious values? What reasons have we to forget our roots?

If we should forget our roots, we shall become uprooted. Then, as the Member for Khe Bong has rightly pointed out, we shall be floating around the four seas and become lost and confused.

Singapore is a plural Asian society. With the exception of a very small minority, we are Asians. Our hair is black and so are our eyes. So what we have chosen are the Asian values of our own.

We do not, however, deny that we should absorb from the Western society its advanced technology and modern management methods. We are walking on two legs, so to speak. We have the best of two worlds, the East and the West, and that is our way to success,

This does not, however, mean that we entirely negate all the Western values. Apart from parliamentary democracy, advanced technology and modern management methods, the West also has the positive spirit of striving and enterprise, worthy of our emulation. On the other hand, we do not blindly accept Asian values in toto. Asian values have been developing continuously over centuries. In the process, some of these values have become outdated and irrelevant to our society. These are the values that we must discard. What we want to promote are the values which are still applicable to the modern Asian society. These are the ethical and moral concepts of the Asians, the spirit of thriftiness and diligence. Thriftiness and diligence are the conditions for building up the national wealth. Moral and ethical values and proper human relations are the pillars of society. Asian values emphasize the personal moral character and a person's responsibility to society and the nation.

In the Confucian ethical thinking, "The cultivation of the self leads to harmony in the family which, in turn, leads to a well-run country and peace under heaven." This is a good example to illustrate this point. Another example would be a saying of Mencius, "The foundation of the nation lies in the family, and the foundation of the family lies in the individual self."

From this, it can be seen that the concept of the family is very strong among Asians. It is a natural obligation in life for parents to love their children and for children to be filial to their parents. The cultivation of the individual self is the foundation for forming the family and building up the nation. The family is the basic unit of society. When the country is destroyed, the family perishes with it, and when the family has perished, its people will fall apart. This is the main difference between Eastern values and Western values which tend to emphasize individualism and individual rights and privileges.

Our country is too small. For survival, we have to adopt an open-door policy and build an open society. We have no means of preventing the onslaught of external influences. If we are not careful, we shall be unwittingly and easily engulfed in and overwhelmed by the dangerous waves of undesirable external influences.

As a matter of fact, in recent years, problems have emerged in the form of youths taking drugs and hell riding. Familial and human relations also seem to be going down the drain with gradually rising divorce rates.

The Government has from time to time adopted administrative measures to counter the influence of undesirable culture coming from outside, but because we are an open society, it is not possible for such administrative measures alone to achieve the desired objective. The best way, therefore, lies in the cultivation of the individual self. The moral education - lessons on religion, Confucianism and ethics implemented in schools - is intended to bring up a better younger generation with proper values and correct outlook in life.

In the long run, the promotion of Asian values and Oriental cultures is the best way to counter the unhealthy foreign culture and protect the foundation of our society.

As a political party leader, the Opposition Member of Parliament has caused indignation among knowledgeable Singaporeans with his strong advocacy of throwing away Asian values. He has confused Asian values with the Asian feudalistic society. This shows his ignorance or superficial knowledge of Asian values. Otherwise, this would be a case of an attempt to fish in troubled waters with an ulterior motive. That he is prepared to sell out his own fine traditions and values for personal political objectives reflects clearly that he has been influenced by extreme individualism, thereby becoming a politician who is prepared to destroy his own roots and forget where he has come frorn, so long as the means justify the ends.

The Asian values that we are advocating strongly and the lessons on Confucian ethics we conduct in schools are not intended to preserve the "Asian feudalistic society", as he has alleged. It is neither intended to teach our children the trick of keeping 10% of the martial art from the disciples, as he has alleged. The whole purpose of moral education is to help our children understand the basic tenets of human behaviour, to build a good moral character and to improve human relations.

The bilingual education policy encourages the learning of the mother tongue. It is intended to enable us to balance Western culture with Eastern culture and to withstand the impact of Western culture, so that we can form a positive outlook in life. This has nothing to do with the political system. It is our long-term objective to build a society of excellence, an Asian society of a high degree of cultural cultivation.

We want to build a rugged and flourishing Asian people with lofty ideals and character. To build such a society and such a nation, we must strongly promote Asian values which are deeply rooted in our soil. We must ensure that such values will continue to flourish. This is our choice, and this is the right choice.

The Question having been proposed at Twelve minutes to Three o'clock pm and the Debate having continued for half an hour, Mr Deputy Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned accordingly at Eighteen minutes past Three o'clock pm to a date to be fixed.